188 Years Since The Alamo
- Donald R. McClarey
Donald R. McClarey
Cradle Catholic. Active in the pro-life movement since 1973. Father of three, one in Heaven, and happily married for 43 years. Small town lawyer and amateur historian. Former president of the board of directors of the local crisis pregnancy center for a decade.
Still remember my surprise when I saw the Alamo for the first time on a business trip to San Antonio. It’s right in the middle of downtown, which of course makes perfect sense, as the city grew up around it. But the images from the 1960 John Wayne film, showing the mission and grounds much as they looked in 1836, were what I had in mind, so it was a real double-take when my cab driver pointed it out as we headed through downtown toward my hotel.
By the way, forget about the 2004 remake of this story. It stinks. 😂💩
Used to live in San Antonio and took all of our house guests to see it when they came to visit. The 1960 film is the “official” version of the event despite the 2004 being somewhat more accurate historically despite the overacting.
@ Frank & @ Donald Link: Agree completely, the 1960 film “The Alamo,” starring and directed by John Wayne with Richard Widmark, Richard Boone, Frankie Avalon, and many others (John Calleia as Juan Seguin, the historical figure who in fact reinforced the Alamo with Lone Star Mexican volunteers, against Santa Anna— an inconvenient fact to the “woke” among us) is a favorite.
And the film score and music by classically trained Bolshevik refugee Russian Dimitri Tiomkin (memorable theme: “The Green Leaves of Summer”) is stirring, among the best ever from western/historic American films.
Here is the suite composed by Dmitri Tiomkin from “The Alamo.” Magnificent musicians performing:
https://youtu.be/5epfRO-jHPo?si=rYl5Myu2HY8t8DBN
Unfortunately, the Wayne set has been stripped and abandoned, and the Disney set burned to the ground. That being said, the original is still well worth the visit. When I was there some years ago, I saw the diorama of the place. I was immediately struck by the fact that, from what I saw, the Alamo was basically indefensible. That the Texicans held it as long as they did was nigh unto miraculous.